The Bix Montessori School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children choose from an extremely wide range of interesting learning resources that capture their imagination. Younger and older children have an amazing ability to sit and concentrate on their tasks.

Children welcome a challenge and are extremely eager to learn. They persevere at the activities until they have achieved their purpose. For example, while building towers children use their critical thinking skills to work out how to reach the top of the tower by using a step.

Children have superb opportunities to learn about nature and living creatures in their environment. They collect eggs from their own chicken...s and discuss what they eat as they feed them leftover fruit and vegetables from their snacks. Staff develop this learning further as they boil the eggs for children to cut up with an egg slicer to eat at snack time.

Children are extremely confident and tell visitors about the guinea pigs, eagerly sharing their names and what they eat. Children talk about the tortoise, which is currently hibernating, and they spontaneously tell visitors, 'he's sleeping'. Children form exceedingly strong relationships with friendly and caring staff, who show them great respect and value their contributions.

Children receive reassurance and cuddles when they feel overwhelmed or unsettled. Staff take time to sit with the children to share stories, and gradually encourage them to play with their friends.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

All children make exceptional progress in their learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language.

Staff make precise and accurate assessments of children's abilities, in partnership with their parents. This helps them to identify any delay in children's development. Staff work very closely with external professionals to secure the correct support for children and their families, to ensure any gaps in learning are swiftly reduced.

Staff are dedicated and have a passion for providing the best learning environment for the children in their care. Parents say that the staff surpass their expectations and that their children make 'amazing progress'. Partnerships with parents are exceptionally strong.

Parents spend time with the staff when they settle their children into the new environment. Staff deliver courses for parents on 'peaceful parenting' to support them to manage their children's behaviour and other relevant topics. They speak to parents on a daily basis, discussing their children's development and how they can continue their learning at home.

The highly qualified, skilled and dedicated team has a strong knowledge and understanding of the different ways children learn. Staff make thorough observations of each child's development, assess their progress and plan for the next steps in learning. Individual children's learning journeys are very detailed and provide an accurate account of their progress over time.

Children are very well prepared for entry to their Reception classes. They gain high levels of independence and well-developed skills in communication, early literacy, numeracy and science.Children spend a great deal of time outdoors in all weathers.

Staff ensure this is possible as they provide children with 'wet suits'. Static play equipment enables children to climb ladders, scramble nets and climbing walls. Children work out together that they can carry the sand to the top floor of the playhouse in buckets and then watch the sand run down the chute.

The dedicated managers inspire the enthusiastic staff to work together as a remarkable team. Managers are totally committed to ensuring that all staff are fully supported in their role. Their expert coaching and the provision of extensive, and well-targeted, training ensure staff are extremely confident and knowledgeable.

For example, specific training for 'mud play' and 'den building' has supported children's learning opportunities outdoors. In addition, forest school sessions are provided twice weekly, where children learn about making fires and collect wood for the 'fire pit'.All children benefit from extra-curricular activities such as yoga sessions, ballet classes, animal care and pony rides.

Managers show high levels of commitment to their staff and the children. Managers and staff reflect highly effectively on their provision to ensure outcomes for children are excellent. They work cohesively with other early years providers to provide the best learning experiences for children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All staff are extremely confident in their knowledge of safeguarding, including radicalisation and other safeguarding matters. Staff are fully aware of the signs that could indicate a child is at risk of harm.

They have an excellent understanding of the procedures to follow for recording and reporting concerns. Managers question staff regularly about safeguarding to ensure their knowledge is secure and stays up to date. The recruitment of new staff is extremely robust, and managers check regularly that all staff remain suitable to work with children.